Karachi: International organisations and human rights watchdogs might feel that religious minorities in Pakistan are discriminated against, but sportsmen belonging to minority communities believe otherwise.

Pakistan has produced some notable achievers in the field of sports from the minority communities, who believe that if one has talent and is willing to work really hard, no one can stop him from reaching the pinnacle of his chosen sport.

Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria only the second Hindu to play for Pakistan said there was nothing stopping people from religious minorities in Pakistan from achieving their goals in sports except for their own lack of self confidence or support from their families.

"The fact is I am first a Pakistani than a Hindu. I have never had any problem in the Pakistan team as a Hindu. Everybody has been supportive of me. And even when Inzamam bhai introduced a religious culture in the team, I was never taunted nor did anyone pressurise me or discourage me from fulfilling my religious obligations as a Hindu," Kaneria said.

He also insisted that Mohammad Yousuf the other big name in modern Pakistan cricket to come from a religious minority had also taken a decision to convert to Islam on his own will.

Parsi entrepreneur Byram Avari, who won a sailing gold medal in the Asian Games, believes that in sports religion does not matter.

"Be it Pakistan or India, the truth is if you play your chosen game right you will come out right. It is 98 per cent perspiration and 2 per cent inspiration," Avari said.

He also said that prominent sportsmen from religious minorities were few in Pakistan because while the population had increased rapidly in the country, the percentage of minorities had decreased in Pakistan.

Errol Robeiro, a senior official of the Karachi Goan Association (KGA), said sportsmen from religious minority communities and their institutions like the Karachi Parsi Institute, Hindu Gymkhana and KGA had left their footprints in Pakistan sports.

Mohinder Kumar, a former first class player and a fulltime coach said Hindu players from were not coming through as their families were not financially sound and can't afford to support them if they choose to take up a sport they are talented in.

"I know of some players who could have gone beyond first class cricket but their families could not afford to support them. I have now asked our community leaders to set up a special fund for our talented sportsmen and women so that they can concentrate on moving ahead without being a burden on their families," Kumar said.

A Parsi female athlete who has achieved success said while it was true religious zealots didn't want religious minorities to progress or rise in Pakistan and discriminated against them with the help of outdated legislation and laws, but in sports those belonging to the minorities were spared this.

"In sports I think religion does not matter your talent is more important," she said.

Source : PTI